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Issue: 552 www.varsity.cam.ac.uk 25 January 2002 THE CAMBRIDGE STUDENT NEWSPAPER 20p where sold ANALYSIS TRAVEL SPORT Student party Europe’s finest cities New College League leaders debate explored without Tables published Cambridge politics breaking the bank exclusively by Varsity PAGE 06 PAGE 13 PAGE 31 Government calls for Cambridge to attract those from poorer backgrounds are marred by negative press attention – PAGE 10 AFGHAN AMBIVALENCE Carolyn Lund Carolyn Katy Long Cambridge students have been involved Open Meeting had been inadequately The student body of Cambridge will not in demonstrations and fund-raising publicised and was therefore “unrepre- be demanding ‘an immediate stop to the events for organisations including sentative of Cambridge students.” He military action in Afghanistan,’ following Cambridge Students against the War alleged that prior to the meeting, stu- Wednesday’s meeting of CUSU Council. and Campeace. Debate over the war dents had been rounded up “in certain CUSU representatives,JCR and MCR pres- has raged in Student Unions across the college bars” and encouraged to attend idents along with external officers voted country, with Bristol University among by supporters of the anti-war motion. not to oppose the current war against those formally condemning the war. When he finally had the opportuni- Afghanistan by a ratio of 3:2. CUSU Council’s treatment did not ty to propose his motion John Stevenson Last term over 100 students attend- address the ‘hardship of the Afghan said simply that, “this is the opinion of ed an Open Meeting that was held in people’ or ‘ the use of indiscriminate the university, it should be passed.” the Union Society Chamber. The two weapons.’ It centered instead on the Three months of controversy over the Varsity Fashion motions passed were ‘to campaign problem of whether those present at the issue was ended when Council voted against the new Anti-terrorism bill’ and Open Meeting were typical Cambridge against ratifying the motion by 28 votes to ‘oppose the current Afghan war.’ students. to 19. For the first time in CUSU his- sees red – Page 12 Student reaction to the war in An Emergency Motion tabled by tory, the decision of an Open Meeting Afghanistan has been mixed. Tom Licence of Magdelene claimed the was overruled by CUSU Council. The region’s best guide to what’s on – see next Thursday’s Cambridge Evening News 02 NEWS 25 January 2002 A www.varsity.cam.ac.uk Inside this issue… pg 8 Analysis CUCA purges its right wing Rohypnol – date rape drug in Cambridge Molly Birch The new Chairman of CUCA declared at the Houses of Parliament which the this week that the society had been “out Conservative leader Iain Duncan-Smith of date and out of touch.” His comments will attend. The new CUCA will also came at the relaunching of the associ- aim to provide more direct services to ation,which has in the past suffered from Rowan Huppert students such as tickets to Prime a poor image, turnout and even cor- Ministers Questions and summer in- ruption allegations.Will Gallagher,who ternships with MPs. pg 9 Perspective stood for election last term promising The changes in the society, reflect Should CUSU oppose the radical modernisation,asserted that the wider changes currently at the national Afghan war? society, like the national party, desper- level of the party. Iain Duncan-Smith ately needs to broaden its appeal and has recently been initiating policy re- pg 10 The Varsity remit moderate its tone. form to move the party closer to the cen- Editor hates everything The society has recently attempted tre ground of British politics. Recently, to distance itself from its old right-wing the Conservative party has attacked Inside Living… image and has attracted a series of high Labour on public services, and social profile and moderate politicians and justice. Influential Conservatives like journalists for the term ahead, including Michael Portillo have asserted that the pg 13 Travel former Cabinet Ministers like Douglas party must be more open to student Spend time in Europe’s Hurd and Kenneth Clarke and younger concerns, and more liberal in its attitudes finest cities new reformers like Oliver Letwin, to homosexuality and to the legalisation Francis Maude and Damien Green. of cannabis. Next month CUCA will be pg 14 Wigger Wags Whitbread As part of its attempt to become a ma- hosting a Fair Trade Lunch with Shadow Sameer Rahim keeps jor force in student politics, it is set to International Development Secretary things “nice” and Neate launch a policy forum called ‘Focus’ next and anti-landmine campaigner, week with Archie Norman. Mr Norman Caroline Spelman, with all proceeds go- has just founded ‘Xchange’, the much ing to charity. Will Gallagher also stress- anticipated “think-tank with attitude” es that the organisation is now “open to You can’t polish a Hurd aimed a pushing the party in a more everyone” who is interested in hearing modern direction. Will Gallagher hopes failed to understand the concerns of stu- card, produced a magazine style pam- influential speakers and joining in de- some of this will rub off on ‘Focus’. The dents; ‘Focus’ is our chance to remedy phlet and launched a new website. bates: “Coming to CUCA does not forum will aim to provide a major op- that, and encourage the Conservatives Outside the university they have forged mean you are a member of the portunity for students to discuss relevant to take a radical new approach to poli- links with major pressure groups like the Conservative Party, and it is this free- issues like drug laws, youth crime and cy.” To raise the profile of the society, Centre for Policy Studies, and the new dom that will, I hope, enable us to move pg 19 Science discrimination with experts. Gallagher CUCA have mailed the entire univer- ‘Focus’ has attracted national interest. forward more quickly in Cambridge 2002 is the year of the… said that “for too long the society has sity with a professionally designed term Next week CUCA will host a reception than the Party can nationally.” Inside Arts… pg 23 Theatre Widespread criticism for A* at A-Level Andrew Hayden reviews King Henry VI Part 3 Oliver Duff dates in each subject, comes after a through yet more change for this sum- tinguish between A-grade candidates. decade of increasing exam success, see- mer is a further illustration of the triv- The reaction from academics has not, pg 24 Film A Cambridge don was one of many this ing the proportion of A grades award- ialisation of the government approach so far, been a positive one though. Mike Drew slams Hong week to voice his concern at the gov- ed shoot from 11.9 percent to almost to secondary education. Universities Shadow Education Secretary Kong ‘playa-hatas’ ernment ‘s latest education initiative. one in five. Twice as many students have access to enough data to meet Damian Green was one of the first to Dr Alan Baker, a Life Fellow of now achieve three or more A grades their needs.” attack education policy: “The govern- pg27 Music Emmanuel College, said that “the per- than did in 1990. It was thought that the proposal ment is constantly tinkering with ex- Cambridge Stereo-types sistent debate and doubt about current Education Secretary Estelle Morris would be welcomed not only by the ams for 16–19 year olds and the last and DJ Top Trumps practice must be demoralising for many is reported to be fiercely resisting the brightest students, but also by the top thing anyone needs is more confusion sixth-formers.” move for fear of the confusion that universities, which find it hard to dis- or more complications in this area.” Dr Baker, a former chief examiner would be caused should A* grades be at A-Level, called for the establishment introduced alongside Advanced of a single examining body for the Extension Awards (AEAs), new tests whole country in order to prevent the for high-achieving sixth-formers to Speakers’ Corner “supermarket-like competition” be- be introduced this year. The AEAs tween boards for “customers”, and the have been developed in 17 subjects and Two Union speakers go head-to-head. resulting grade inflation. He also high- are designed to stretch the most able This week, it’s leading figures from the religious world. lighted the impossibility of guaran- students allowing them to demonstrate pg 29 Literature teeing testing consistency from year to a greater depth of understanding than Helen Slater would say year, and so called for an end to the is required by A levels. Christian Jewish “avant-garde en garde” if pretence that grading standards are ab- Teaching unions also objected to the Archdeacon of York President, British she couldn’t think of a solute and not relative. proposed A* grade. John Dunford, gen- Board of Deputies headline His comments were in reaction to eral secretary of the Secondary Heads reports this week that plans have been Association, stated that he was “vehe- Sex before Marriage? No. Sex before marriage? No. Inside Sport… drawn up by Downing Street to intro- mently opposed” to the idea. “I saw the Gay sex? If you are referring to Gay sex? Ye s . duce a higher A-Level grade for the effect at GCSE, which devalued the A buggery,absolutely not. Cannabis? Ye s . brightest pupils in order to combat grade and put bright pupils under enor- Cannabis? No. Pornography – good or bad? Bad. pg 31 League Tables claims that the “gold standard” ex- mous additional stress,” he said. Pornography – good or bad? Bad. Is Britain a christian country? Yes.